Projects Abroad Volunteer Programs in Sri Lanka

I went to Sri Lanka for three months, with the hope of helping where I could, getting to know a new culture, and learning new things about myself, and I also wanted to challenge myself. And all of my hopes got fulfilled on the trip!

On my trip to Sri Lanka, I got to know a lot of people, who taught me so much about seeing life from another perspective, and they will always stay close to my heart.
I lived with a close friend from Denmark, at a host family. The host family became just like our own, and made us feel very much at home and secure.
I also made thousands of memorable experiences, in the beautiful country.

I can deeply recommend going to Sri Lanka, and especially going with Projects Abroad, if you are looking for making a difference.

I had an AMAZING time with ProjectsAbroad in Sri Lanka for my elective!!! I wasn't a medical student at the time, but instead a Healthcare Scientist Trainee in Neurophysiology, and even with this they tailored it so well to fit my interests! This was my first time travelling alone, and the planning and organisation was great and so helpful, which made it so much easier! The staff there were so friendly, I got to meet some amazing people and learn so much in the hospitals with the opportunity to attend seminars. We made the most of our free-time to travel around - we were placed in Galle, but got to visit Kandy, Udawalawe and Welligama, and tried surfing, went whale-watching, visited tea plantations, and ate lots of awesome food (all with the advice of people we met, the staff there, and the host family!). The community work was also great, and the team there really do work hard to ensure we're contributing to community and local people. The host family were lovely too and it was great to immerse into local life! Would definitely recommend ProjectsAbroad!!

My trip to Sri Lanka has been the most meaningful and unforgettable journey I have ever experienced. I will never forget the people I have met. They have all made a huge impact on me and taught me so much. I stayed with a host family, and they made me feel secure at all times. They taught me a new way to experience life, obstacles and relations. This journey has made my perspective so much wider, and made me appreiciate my conditions. I have been introduced to a whole new culture, and to a whole new way of living, and I was loving every second of it. I was volunteering for a school for children with special needs, and I loved every minute I spend in that classroom. I now I was making a difference and helped those who needed it, and im grateful for that.

The time spent with ProjectsAbroad in Sri Lanka was one of the most challenging and rewarding experience son my life. I had no idea what I was getting into the I signed up but knew that I wanted and was ready for the challenge. I went at it alone but from the second I landed in Colombo with my massive rucksack I met the most amazing people and made the most incredible friends.
The work with the children both teaching and restoring the schools was hard but so rewarding and actually so much fun, not to mention the main food cooked by our incredible host-family and the women from the school. The weekend we spent away from the Colombo up in Ubud was both fun and stunning.
It was a month I will never forget and I think it's an experience people need to have not only for the volunteering but also the travelling and experiencing such an amazing culture

From the moment I indicated interest in volunteering with Projects Abroad, I had the opportunity to ask any questions or voice any concerns I had about the trip. There was a volunteer advisor I could speak with, people from the travel team, and even local staff members from the country of Sri Lanka. I felt like I was taken care of throughout the entire process -- from planning to the actual trip -- and that Projects Abroad is a step above many of the organizations I've read and heard about.

As for the trip, it was -- pardon the cliche -- the trip of a lifetime. This was my first time traveling in a foreign country "alone", yet as a result of this trip I now have the travel bug! I lived with a host family in the city of Panadura, about an hour south of the capital city of Colombo. I lived with 2 other volunteers for most of the 1st month (a German girl and a British girl). The host mother (called "Auntie" as a sign of respect), always made sure we had breakfast, lunch, and dinner ready for us, and that we were comfortable in the house. Some of my fondest memories are the conversations around the table; from talking about silly things to cultural exchange to life stories -- my housemates and host family were one of the fundamental things that made my experience amazing. In addition, about once every week or so, a staff member from Projects Abroad would come and speak with me privately. This allowed me to voice any concerns I had with the experience to them.

There were about 10 other volunteers in my town when I arrived, and every day after work we would get together and do some type of activity: whether it was walking around town, visiting the local beach, socializing at a juice bar, or just relaxing and playing games at one of our homes. The weekends were reserved for traveling around the island with volunteers from other cities.

Regarding the "work", it was amazing. I volunteered at an IT Center that was about a 10 minute walk from my host home. At the Center, there was a supervisor (a local who worked for Projects Abroad) who spoke English as well as Sinhalese (the official language of Sri Lanka). The main students were children, eager to learn about computers. I was provided with a curriculum (worked on by previous volunteers) that had been written as a guideline for the students to follow, but I was encouraged to go "off-book" if needed and even write my own lessons if I felt the need. Many of the students spoke some English, but if there was a major concept I didn't think they understood, I would show them on the computer, have them repeat the action, then have the supervisor translate the reasoning behind the particular action. I felt that this type of reinforcement led to the children absorbing more from the lessons.

I would highly recommend volunteering with Projects Abroad. The experience and friendships that I've gained due to this trip will continue to shape and define my life in the future. From the staff support to the host family, to the students I taught and volunteers I met, it was definitely the trip of a lifetime!

I stayed in Srilanka for two months on a midwifery and tsunami camp placement; it was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment in which I was out there.
I assisted in 32 deliveries and I have finally got into university to become a midwife!!